What to do about wet foam and water in hull?

[gotjeepzj]

I've got an old chrysler modified V. It's a project boat that sat outdoors in storage unprotected. It's got the old threaded drain plugs on the back.

To start with the bow has a casting deck that opens for storage that was leaking. There's no drain from the storage to the back of the boat. I thought about drilling a drain hole, but the storage area sits lower than the floor. I think this leaked for god knows how long and eventually made it's way to the hull.

I removed the plugs and raised the boat as high as I could and there was still water in the hull. I removed the flange that the drain plug screws into hoping to get more water out. I can still put my pinky in and feel water and wet foam.

Is there anyway to dry this out? Maybe cut a couple of large holes in the floor and install those access ports with the screw on lids? I don't have any access panels on the floor I can remove to help vent. Any idea's?

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: What to do about wet foam and water in hull?

I think your going to have to open it up all the way to really see whats under there, I would use a holesaw and get some core samples here and there, if they are all wet than looking at the cores you could determine the thickness of the deck and set you circular saw to that depth and cut the whole deck out in large sections neatly so you could put them right back after remedying the wet foam, and whatever else you find in there. Just go for it and do it right.

 

[rndn]

Re: What to do about wet foam and water in hull?

There is no way to dry the foam. It needs to be removed, the area dried out and replaced with the proper type of foam, don't use the great stuff.

 

[180shabah]

Re: What to do about wet foam and water in hull?

If the foam is wet, then there will be rot in all of the wood beneath the floor. What condition is the transom in?

 

[gotjeepzj]

Re: What to do about wet foam and water in hull?

The transom has been sandwiched with a SS bracket so it feels and sounds firm. I think they did this to mask the fact it has issues. The floor is solid except one soft spot where the driver's seat post had been.

That sounds like a big project. I don't know if the boat hull is worth investing that kind of time and money into. The boat is a 1974, the engine is a 1969. I was really just trying to get back into boating cheaply, and upgrade later. That might be a good winter project for next year.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What to do about wet foam and water in hull?

look at these threads. it will give you and idea.
http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=407